Take THAT Pat Robertson

Thanks to the internet and the fact that Pat Robertson just can't ever shut up in front of the camera, the public gets to see, and see again, how truly horrific and unChristian he is. His recent comments about Haiti's pact with the devil have ignited a slew of commentators from multiple places. Gathered below is an assortment of people's critiques, rants, and responses to his comments.

Rachel Maddow gives an update about Pat Robertson's comments:



Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph responds to Pat Robertson's comments on The Rachel Maddow Show:



From "The 'Devil' Writes Pat Robertson a Letter" published in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Dear Pat Robertson,

I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I'm all over that action.

But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I'm no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.

Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth -- glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven't you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn Yankees"?

If I had a thing going with Haiti, there'd be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox -- that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it -- I'm just saying: Not how I roll.

You're doing great work, Pat, and I don't want to clip your wings -- just, come on, you're making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That's working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.

Best, Satan

LILY COYLE, MINNEAPOLIS

Keith Olberman's Special Comment on Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh:



From Slacktavist, Dear Pat Robertson, STFU:

But it's worse than that. He's not just contradicting some bit of scriptural arcana here, he's cutting to the core of Christianity and setting himself in direct opposition to it. When Jesus stood to read in the synagogue he looked over the whole of the scriptures and selected the one thing he wanted to say out of all that he might have read and he read this as his motto, his mission statement, the signature and standard of his ministry and its meaning:

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, 

because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Pat Robertson reverses every line of that. He perverts it into its opposite. His words, therefore, were not just "stupid" -- as White House spokesman Robert Gibbs rightly called them. They were anathema, blasphemy, an abomination.

Continue reading here.

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Giving Locally in Haiti

Haiti's recent 7.0 magnitude earthquake has moved people to give. The Red Cross has already raised over $800,000 through a text message campaign, and a groundswell of support waves through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. As we globally address this latest tragedy, it is important to learn from past natural disaster relief. Large charitable organizations, like the Red Cross, have their place, but giving to local organizations who share a history and connection to the community in need is crucial.

Local Bay Area activists, Victoria Welle and Yas Ahmed, have identified a few local charities that come highly recommended by their grassroots community.

Yas Ahmed recommends Haitian-led organizations Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees (contact: 718/735-4660 or Lambi Fund of Haiti.

Victoria Welle recommends Partners in Health, Haiti Relief Fund, and Yéle Haiti (founded by Wyclef Jean). UPDATE: The Smoking Gun is reporting that Yéle Haiti is coming under scrutiny for their tax records and what appears to be over $400,000 paid to Wyclef Jean and his business partner. Read the article here.

Victoria encourages giving to local non-governmental organizations because, "They can better establish a partnership model of disaster relief, instead of a dependency model in which residents have to rely on outsiders for assistance (and will often have little or no say in what that assistance will be)."

For more information on Haiti relief efforts, check out Victoria's blog (hasta la) Victoria or Mashable's "Haiti Earthquake Relief: 9 Ways to Help Now".

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